U.S. patent number 5,056,285 [Application Number 07/215,646] was granted by the patent office on 1991-10-15 for partition wall, particularly for offices.
This patent grant is currently assigned to C.O.M. Cooperativa Operai Mobilieri S.C.R.L.. Invention is credited to Francesco Frascaroli, Edgardo Versari.
United States Patent |
5,056,285 |
Frascaroli , et al. |
October 15, 1991 |
Partition wall, particularly for offices
Abstract
A partition wall comprising a frame consisting of a number of
vertical uprights and crosspieces, and covered on both faces by a
number of panels. The main characteristic of the present invention
lies in the aforementioned upright being formed from a bent sheet
metal section with clinched lateral edges defining a hollow,
substantially rectangular center portion and two opposed,
substantially C-shaped lateral portions with turned-in ends.
Inventors: |
Frascaroli; Francesco (Bologna,
IT), Versari; Edgardo (Forli', IT) |
Assignee: |
C.O.M. Cooperativa Operai Mobilieri
S.C.R.L. (Persiceto, IT)
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Family
ID: |
11115922 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/215,646 |
Filed: |
July 6, 1988 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jul 6, 1987 [IT] |
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4912/87[U] |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
52/243; 52/238.1;
52/775; 52/36.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04B
2/7818 (20130101); E04B 2/7453 (20130101); E04B
2002/7487 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04B
2/76 (20060101); E04B 2/74 (20060101); E04B
2/78 (20060101); E04B 002/78 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/239,36,243,775,238.1
;160/135,351 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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468454 |
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Oct 1974 |
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AU |
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848658 |
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Aug 1970 |
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CA |
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1759497 |
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Feb 1979 |
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DE |
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1316253 |
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May 1973 |
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GB |
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Primary Examiner: Safavi; Michael
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Frost & Jacobs
Claims
We claim:
1. A partition wall comprising a self-supporting preassembled frame
having first and second opposite lateral surfaces, at least one
panel extending outside and along each said lateral surface, and
first fastening means to releasably connect the panels to said
frame; said frame comprising a number of elongated bars defining
vertical uprights, and horizontal upper and lower crosspieces
connecting the uprights in pairs; and each elongated bar having two
lateral outer substantially parallel walls and two inner
substantially parallel transverse walls extending between said two
outer walls, and defining therewith a substantially rectangular
tubular center portion and two opposed substantially C-shaped
lateral portions of said elongated bar; said two outer walls
extending transversely of the lateral surfaces of said frame, and
having turned-in opposite longitudinal end portions each arranged
substantially in contact with an inner surface of a respective said
panel, and wherein each elongated bar is formed from a single
elongated metal sheet having opposite longitudinal lateral edges,
the sheet having been transversely bent to form said two outer
walls and said two inner walls, and said longitudinal lateral edges
having been clinched together at one of said inner walls.
2. A partition wall comprising a self-supporting preassembled frame
having first and second opposite lateral surfaces, at least one
panel extending outside and along each said lateral surface, and
first fastening means to releasably connect the panels to said
frame; said frame comprising a number of elongated bars defining
vertical uprights, and horizontal upper and lower crosspieces
connecting the uprights in pairs; and each elongated bar having two
lateral outer substantially parallel walls and two inner
substantially parallel transverse walls extending between said two
outer walls, and defining therewith a substantially rectangular
tubular center portion and two opposed substantially C-shaped
lateral portions of said elongated bar; said two outer walls
extending transversely of the lateral surfaces of said frame, and
having turned-in opposite longitudinal end portions each arranged
substantially in contact with an inner surface of a respective said
panel, and wherein, along each said outer wall of each said
upright, two longitudinal rows of equally spaced through slots are
provided; said first fastening means comprising at least a first
element having at least two first teeth engaging respective said
slots, and two opposed transverse first tabs extending parallel
with the respective said outer wall and towards an inner surface of
a respective said panel; said inner surface being provided with
first socket means, and each said first tab being provided with a
respective second tooth engaging a respective said first socket
means.
3. A partition wall as claimed in claim 2, wherein each said
upright has longitudinal top and bottom ends provided with top and
bottom struts extending above said upper crosspieces and below said
lower crosspieces respectively; each pair of adjacent uprights and
the connecting upper and lower crosspieces defining an intermediate
space extending between the upper and lower crosspieces, an upper
space extending above said upper crosspiece and between said top
struts, and a lower space extending below said lower crosspiece and
between said bottom struts; each said panel being an intermediate
panel connected to a respective pair of adjacent uprights by said
first fastening means to close a respective said intermediate
space.
4. A partition wall as claimed in claim 3, further comprising upper
and lower panels connected to said uprights by said first fastening
means to close said upper and lower spaces respectively.
5. A partition wall as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first
fastening means further comprises a second element, fitted to the
upper end of each upright, having a transverse central wall through
which said top strut extends, and at least two opposed transverse
second tabs rigid with said central wall, and extending parallel
with a respective said outer wall of said upright and towards an
inner surface of a respective said upper panel; this inner surface
being provided with second socket means, and each said second tab
being provided with a respective third tooth engaging a respective
said second socket means.
6. A partition wall as claimed in claim 4, wherein said first
fastening means further comprises a third element, fitted to the
lower end of each upright, having a transverse central wall through
which said bottom strut extends, and at least two opposed side
walls each extending parallel with a respective said outer wall of
said upright; a pin being supported by said two side walls at each
lateral surface of said frame and facing an inner surface of a
respective said lower panel; said inner surface being provided with
hook means, and each said pin being engaged by a respective said
hook menas to hang said lower panel to said frame.
7. A partition wall comprising a self-supporting preassembled frame
having first and second opposite lateral surfaces, at least one
panel extending outside and along each said lateral surface, and
first fastening means to releasably connect the panels to said
frame; said frame comprising a number of elongated bars defining
vertical uprights, and horizontal upper and lower crosspieces
connecting the uprights in pairs; and each elongated bar having two
lateral outer substantially parallel walls and two inner
substantially parallel transverse walls extending between said two
outer walls, and defining therewith a substantially rectangular
tubular center portion and two opposed substantially C-shaped
lateral portions of said elongated bar; said two outer walls
extending transversely of the lateral surfaces of said frame, and
having turned-in opposite longitudinal end portions each arranged
substantially in contact with an inner surface of a respective said
panel, and wherein, along each said outer wall of each said
upright, two longitudinal rows of equally spaced through slots are
provided; each crosspiece having longitudinal ends each provided
with second fastening means for connection of the crosspiece to a
respective said upright; and each second fastening means comprising
a body, a first portion of which is housed inside said crosspiece,
and a second portion of which extends axially outside the
crosspiece, and is provided with two teeth each engaging a
corresponding said slot, and lever means to draw said first portion
into said crosspiece.
8. A partition wall comprising a self-supporting, preassembled
frame having first and second opposite lateral surfaces, at least
one panel extending outside and along each said lateral surface, at
least one further panel to define furnishing fixtures, and first
and second fastening means to releasably connect said panels and
said further panel to the frame; the frame comprising a number of
elongated bars defining vertical uprights, and horizontal upper and
lower crosspieces, each upper crosspiece and a corresponding lower
crosspiece extending between a respective pair of adjacent
uprights, and third fastening means being provided to connect said
crosspieces to said uprights; each elongated bar having two lateral
outer substantially parallel walls and two inner substantially
parallel transverse walls extending between said two outer walls,
and defining therewith a substantially rectangular tubular center
portion and two opposed substantially C-shaped lateral portions of
said elongated bar; said two outer walls extending transversely of
the lateral surfaces of the frame, and having turned-in opposite
longitudinal end portions each arranged substantially in contact
with an inner surface of a respective said panel; and each second
fastening means engaging a respective lateral portion of a
respective said bar, and extending between the turned-in opposite
longitudinal end portions thereof, and further comprising an outer
frame enclosing said frame; each said upright having longitudinal
top and bottom ends provided with top and bottom struts extending
to said outer frame above said upper crosspieces and below said
lower crosspieces respectively; each pair of adjacent uprights and
the connecting upper and lower crosspieces defining an intermediate
space extending between the upper and lower crosspieces, an upper
space extending between said upper crosspiece and the outer frame
and between said top struts, and a lower space extending between
said lower crosspiece and the outer frame and between said bottom
struts; each said panel being an intermediate panel connected to a
respective pair of adjacent uprights by said first fastening means
to close a respective said intermediate space, and upper and lower
panels being provided, which are connected to said uprights by said
first fastening means to close said upper and lower spaces
respectively.
Description
The present invention relates to a partition wall, particularly for
offices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to provide a partition wall,
particularly for offices, enabling fast, troublefree assembly.
Further aims and advantages of the present invention will be
disclosed in the following description. With this aim in view,
according to the present invention, there is provided a partition
wall, particularly for offices, comprising a frame having a number
of pairs of vertical uprights connected by at least one crosspiece,
and preferably covered by a number of panels supported on the said
frame via first fastening means; characterised by the fact that the
said upright is formed from a bent sheet metal section with
clinched longitudinal lateral edges defining a hollow,
substantially rectangular center portion and two opposed,
substantially C-shaped lateral portions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described
by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 shows a front view of the partition wall according to the
present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a front view of the inner frame on the FIG. 1
partition wall;
FIG. 3 shows an exploded view in perspective of part of the
partition wall in FIG. 1;
FIGS. 4 and 5 show partial side and plan views respectively of a
vertical upright complete with a panel;
FIG. 6 shows a section of the FIG. 3 upright;
FIGS. 7 and 8 show front and plan views respectively of a fastening
element between the vertical upright and panel;
FIG. 9 shows a section along line IX--IX in FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Number 1 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 indicates a partition wall,
particularly for offices, which is also designed to support various
build-up furnishing fixtures enabling the formation of open or
closed shelving, cupboards, drawers, filing cabinets, etc.
Partition wall 1 comprises a frame 2 consisting of a number of
pairs of vertical uprights 3 connected by a pair of crosspieces 4.
In the example shown, frame 2 is substantially perpendicular to the
floor, but may be arranged in the form of an L or any other
configuration as required. Partition wall 1 comprises two faces
consisting of a number of panels, preferably of wood, supported on
frame 2 by means of original fasteners, and therefore panelling
frame 2 on both faces. By means of further fasteners available on
the market, and therefore not shown or only schematically in FIG.
3, frame 2 is also designed to support various build-up fixtures
with which to furnish both faces of partition 1. As shown in FIG.
2, frame 2 presents a rectangular contour consisting of two
horizontal metal bars 6 and two vertical metal bars 7. In the
embodiment shown, the said contour encloses four vertical uprights
3, each having a springmounted top and bottom strut 8 adjustable in
height and housed inside bottom bar 6 resting on the floor and top
bar 6 which is normally pressed by top strut 8 against the ceiling.
Each pair of adjacent uprights 3 is connected by a top and bottom
horizontal crosspiece 4 close to struts 8. Between each pair of
adjacent uprights 3, there are fitted a center panel 11
substantially closing the space between crosspieces 4; a smaller
top panel 12 closing the space between top crosspiece 4 and top bar
6; and a bottom panel 13 closing the space between bottom
crosspiece 4 and bottom bar 6. Each lateral end of frame 2 presents
an end panel 14 closing the space between the first and last
upright 3 and the respective bar 7, as shown in FIG. 2. With
reference to FIGS. 3 to 6, uprights 3 and crosspieces 4 are formed
from the same bent sheet metal section, the cross section of which
presents a hollow center portion and two opposed, substantially
C-shaped lateral portions. The said center portion presents a
substantially rectangular contour defined by two first opposite
side walls 21, which also define a respective said lateral portion,
and by two second opposite side walls 22 the lateral edges of which
present respective recesses 23 extending along the entire length of
the section. Along each recess 23, there are formed a number of
pairs of through slots 24 aligned with those on the other recesses
23. Each lateral portion of the said section is substantially
C-shaped and defined by a center wall consisting of side wall 21,
and by two arms 25, the ends 26 of which are bent perpendicularly
so as to be substantially parallel with wall 21. The said section
is formed by bending and folding a metal sheet, and clinching the
longitudinal lateral edges along one of side walls 21.
Consequently, walls 21 and 22 present the same thickness as the
metal sheet, whereas arms 25 and the portions of walls 21 mating
with the sides of recesses 23 are of double thickness. For forming
the said section, the metal sheet is bent and folded as follows:
commencing at one end, the sheet describes a first portion of wall
21, the inner side of recess 23, arm 25, and end portion 26, at
which point it is folded back the same way on the outside up to the
side of recess 23 from which it describes wall 22. At the end of
wall 22, the sheet describes the outer side of the other recess 23
in wall 22, arm 25 and end portion 26, at which point it is folded
back the same way on the inside up to the side of recess 23 from
which it describes the other wall 21, and so on up to the first
wall 21 where the two ends of the sheet are clinched. As shown in
FIGS. 3 to 5 and 7 to 9, center panels 11 are supported on uprights
3 by means of a number of fasteners 27 formed by bending suitably
shaped sheet metal. Each fastener 27 comprises a U-shaped center
portion 28 having a center wall 31 parallel with wall 22 on upright
3, and a top and bottom side wall 32 substantially perpendicular to
wall 22. The ends of walls 32 are turned outwards and support
respective pairs of flat downturned teeth 33. From wall 31, there
extend, coplanar with wall 31 and in opposite directions, two
tapered tabs 34 the ends of which present a respective flat,
upturned tooth 35. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, two aligned pairs of
slots 24 along wall 22 of upright 3 are engaged, in use, by the
four teeth 33 on fastener 27. Along both vertical side edges of
panel 11, there are formed dead holes 41, into each of which is
pressed a cup-shaped metal body 42 having a cylindrical side wall
43 the outer surface of which presents annular teeth 44 engaging
hole 41. Body 42 also presents a bottom wall 45 in which is formed
a rectangular through slot 46 through which tooth 35 of fastener 27
is inserted inside body 42 and housed between two tabs 47 extending
on either side of slot 46 from bottom wall 45. If each side edge of
panel 11 is fitted with three bodies 42, the two uprights 3
supporting panel 11 are fitted with three fasteners 27 at the same
height as bodies 42 on panel 11, which, when assembled, thus rests
on tabs 34 of fasteners 27 via bodies 42. Between top strut 8 and
the respective axial end of upright 3, there is fitted a fastener
51 by means of which uprights 3 support top panels 12. The said
fastener 51 consists of a U-shaped sheet metal plate having a
center wall 52 housed between strut 8 and the end of upright 3, and
two side walls 53 parallel with walls 22. From the vertical side
edges of each wall 53, there extend in opposite directions
respective coplanar tabs 54 similar to tabs 34 on fasteners 27 and
also terminating with a respective flat, upturned tooth 55. The
vertical side edges of top panel 12 present a respective body 42
engaged by tooth 55 of fastener 51. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4,
between bottom strut 8 and the respective axial end of upright 3,
there is fitted a fastener 61 by means of which uprights 3 support
bottom panels 13. Fastener 61 is substantially U-shaped and
comprises a center wall (not shown) housed between strut 8 and the
end of upright 3, and two side walls 62 parallel with walls 22.
From the vertical side edges of each wall 62, there extend in
opposite directions respective coplanar tabs 63 (FIG. 4) having an
upturned end 64. Between the two pairs of opposite ends 64 on each
fastener 61, there are fitted a top and bottom horizontal pin 65
and 66. Each vertical side edge of bottom panel 13 presents an
open-sided cavity 67 housing a metal element 68 in the form of an
inverted L and having a seat 71 engaged by pin 65 about which panel
13 pivots. At the bottom of element 68 inside cavity 67, there is
fitted an elastically deformable plate 72 having a seat 73 inside
which pin 66 is clicked. The inner face of panel 13 is covered with
a layer 74 of soundproofing material. Panels 14 are supported by
uprights 3 on either side of frame 2, and have only one vertical
side edge fitted with bodies 42 engaging with fasteners 27 and 51
of uprights 3. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, bars 6 and 7 are formed
from metal section and present a center wall 81 and two side walls
82. From the inner face of wall 81, there extends perpendicularly a
projection 83 designed to engage a diametrical through slot 84
formed on the ends of struts 8. Between two adjacent panels 11, a
gap exists (FIGS. 1 and 5) corresponding with the gap between ends
26 on the lateral portion of the upright 3 section supporting
panels 11. Between panels 11 and respective panels 12 and 13, a
similar gap exists corresponding with that between ends 26 on the
lateral portion of the respective crosspiece 4 sections. As shown
in FIG. 3, crosspieces 4 are fitted to uprights 3 by means of a
fastener 85 having four flat teeth 86 as on fastener 27. Fastener
85 comprises an inner portion at the axial end of crosspiece 4 and
integral with a lever 87 which, subsequent to engagement of slots
24 by teeth 86, is turned from the vertical position shown into a
horizontal position, so as to draw teeth 86 inside crosspiece 4 ad
so ensure firm assembly of the same to upright 3. Once partition
wall 1 has been assembled, both faces may be furnished as required.
A cupboard, for example, may be formed by assembling two side
panels 91 of the same height as panels 11 and supported on
respective upright 3 by means of a number of fasteners 92 (only one
of which is shown in FIG. 3). Between the said two side panels 91,
a door may be hinged in the usual way along the side edge of one
panel 91. Shelving 93 may also be provided inside the cupboard and
supported by panels 91 in the usual way (not shown). As panels 91
are raised off the floor, each must obviously be fitted with a foot
94. For forming open shelving 93, each shelf 93 is fitted in the
usual way to two panels 95 (FIG. 4) narrower than panels 91 and
supported on uprights 3 by means of fasteners 92, which are no more
than eccentric ties as marketed, for example, by Confalonieri
S.r.l. of Guissano (Milan). These consist substantially of a
T-shaped head 96 which is inserted inside the lateral portion of
the upright 3 section, and a shank having a helical profile
extending inside a bush 97 fitted inside a hole 98 on the vertical
side edge of panel 91 or 95. Bush 97 presents an axial seat 101 for
an Allen wrench with which to pull on the shank. In this way, pull
is exerted on the whole of fastener 92, and head 96 is pressed on
to the ends 26 of arms 25 on the lateral portion of the upright 3
section. Panels 91 and 95 may of course be assembled using other
fastening means designed to exploit the special design of the
lateral portion of the upright 3 section. The numerous advantages
of the present invention will be clear from the foregoing
description. In particular, the design of the upright 3 section
provides for fast, troublefree assembly of partition wall 1 using
the fasteners described, which are also easy to produce. Once
partition 1 has been assembled, one or both faces may be furnished
easily and quickly as required. Another important feature to note
is that the design of bars 6 provides for housing electric cables,
which may be run along the lateral portion of the upright 3 section
and out at any height as required. The panel 13 assembly system
enables inspection of the bottom of partition 1 and therefore also
of any electric cables housed inside the same. Finally, the
extremely versatile design of partition 1 provides for any number
of configurations using the same components. To those skilled in
the art it will be clear that changes may be made to partition 1 as
described herein without, however, departing from the scope of the
present invention.
* * * * *